Directing

Béla Tarr

Born July 21, 1955 · Pécs, Hungary

Died January 6, 2026 · aged 70

Béla Tarr (July 21, 1955 – January 6, 2026) was a Hungarian filmmaker. Much of his work is marked by philosophical elements and a pessimistic view of humanity. His films utilize unconventional storytelling methods, such as long takes and/or non-professional actors to achieve realism. Debuting with Family Nest in 1979, Tarr underwent a period of what he refers to as "social cinema", aimed at telli…

Known For

Lamb

MovieDramaFantasy

An Icelandic couple live with their herd of sheep on a beautiful but remote farm. When they discover a mysterious newborn on their land, they decide to keep it and raise it as their own. This unexpected development and the prospects of a new family brings them much joy before ultimately destroying them.

Werckmeister Harmonies

Werckmeister Harmonies · 2001

Werckmeister Harmonies

A naive young man witnesses an escalation of violence in his small hometown following the arrival of a mysterious circus attraction.

Satantango

Satantango · 1994

Inhabitants of a small village in Hungary deal with the effects of the fall of Communism. The town's source of revenue, a factory, has closed, and the locals, who include a doctor and three couples, await a cash payment offered in the wake of the shuttering. Irimias, a villager thought to be dead, returns and, unbeknownst to the locals, is a police informant. In a scheme, he persuades the villagers to form a commune with him.

Rumours

Rumours · 2024

MovieHorrorComedy

En route to the annual G7 summit, the seven leaders of the world’s wealthiest liberal democracies get lost in the woods and face increasing peril while attempting to draft a provisional statement regarding a global crisis.

The Turin Horse

The Turin Horse · 2011

The Turin Horse

A look at the monotonous daily struggle of a father and daughter in a windswept, desolate landscape. Over six days, their routine of eating boiled potatoes and tending a failing horse crumbles, symbolizing a slow descent into darkness, emptiness, and the end of existence.

Twilight

Twilight · 1990

MovieCrimeDrama

In the dense and murky woodlands of provincial Hungary, the search for a child murderer drags a once-respected detective into an all-consuming obsession enshrouded by irresolution and despair, even long after he has been taken off the case. What emerges is not a crime story, but a harrowing venture through the darkness of the human soul.

Hungary 2011

Hungary 2011 · 2012

MovieDramaDocumentary

Anthology film made as an act of protest against Hungarian government of Viktor Orban.

The Man from London

The Man from London · 2008

The Man from London

MovieMysteryCrime

A switchman at a seaside railway witnesses a murder but does not report it after he finds a suitcase full of money at the scene of the crime.

Filmography

Sort

Lamb

MovieDramaFantasy

An Icelandic couple live with their herd of sheep on a beautiful but remote farm. When they discover a mysterious newborn on their land, they decide to keep it and raise it as their own. This unexpected development and the prospects of a new family brings them much joy before ultimately destroying them.

Executive Producer

Werckmeister Harmonies

Werckmeister Harmonies · 2001

Werckmeister Harmonies

A naive young man witnesses an escalation of violence in his small hometown following the arrival of a mysterious circus attraction.

Director

Satantango

Satantango · 1994

Inhabitants of a small village in Hungary deal with the effects of the fall of Communism. The town's source of revenue, a factory, has closed, and the locals, who include a doctor and three couples, await a cash payment offered in the wake of the shuttering. Irimias, a villager thought to be dead, returns and, unbeknownst to the locals, is a police informant. In a scheme, he persuades the villagers to form a commune with him.

Screenplay

Rumours

Rumours · 2024

MovieHorrorComedy

En route to the annual G7 summit, the seven leaders of the world’s wealthiest liberal democracies get lost in the woods and face increasing peril while attempting to draft a provisional statement regarding a global crisis.

Thanks

The Turin Horse

The Turin Horse · 2011

The Turin Horse

A look at the monotonous daily struggle of a father and daughter in a windswept, desolate landscape. Over six days, their routine of eating boiled potatoes and tending a failing horse crumbles, symbolizing a slow descent into darkness, emptiness, and the end of existence.

Screenplay

Twilight

Twilight · 1990

MovieCrimeDrama

In the dense and murky woodlands of provincial Hungary, the search for a child murderer drags a once-respected detective into an all-consuming obsession enshrouded by irresolution and despair, even long after he has been taken off the case. What emerges is not a crime story, but a harrowing venture through the darkness of the human soul.

Consulting Producer

Hungary 2011

Hungary 2011 · 2012

MovieDramaDocumentary

Anthology film made as an act of protest against Hungarian government of Viktor Orban.

Producer

The Man from London

The Man from London · 2008

The Man from London

MovieMysteryCrime

A switchman at a seaside railway witnesses a murder but does not report it after he finds a suitcase full of money at the scene of the crime.

Screenplay

Visions of Europe

Visions of Europe · 2004

Visions of Europe

MovieDocumentaryComedy

Twenty-five films from twenty-five European countries by twenty-five European directors.

Director

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen · 2012

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

MovieDramaRomance

A film where anything can happen - the hero and the heroine changes their faces, age, look, names, and so on. The only same thing: The love between man and woman... in an archetypical love story cut from 500 classics from all around the world.

Producer

Damnation

Damnation · 1988

MovieDramaCrime

Karrer plods his way through life in quiet desperation. His environment is drab and rainy and muddy. Eaten up with solitude, his hopelessness would be incurable but for the existence of the Titanik Bar and its beautiful, haunting singer. But the lady is married and Karrer is determined to keep her husband away...

Director

The Cowboy

The Cowboy · 2024

MovieDramaWestern

The arrival of a stray horse triggers a series of events in Bernicia’s life that alters her world as she slowly takes on the persona of a cowboy. Through her journey, she must overcome several obstacles that threaten her newfound desires.

Thanks

Family Nest

Family Nest · 1979

A family slowly disintegrates under various pressures in late 1970s communist Hungary.

Writer

Stars of Little Importance

Stars of Little Importance · 2025

Stars of Little Importance

A brother and sister return home from the capital for Christmas to reunite with childhood friends and first loves. They hold a party. They drink heavily. Nothing is the same as before. But everything is good, right?

Executive Producer

Macbeth

Macbeth · 1982

MovieDramaTV Movie

Consistent of only two long shots, three witches predict that Macbeth will ascend to the throne of Scotland. To fulfill this prophecy, Lady Macbeth convinces her husband to murder King Duncan, who has come to spend the night at their home. This crime plunges the new ruler into a macabre spiral that will lead him to sink into guilt and madness.

Director

Árni

Sensitive and bird-like Árni works as a handyman at a small and dingy traveling circus touring in rural areas. The troupe is made up from a family that runs the circus, where Árni is the only non-family member. He lives like a monk, his days revolve around feeding the animals and doing various works for the circus. The circus gets a new python, and the creature piques Árni's curiosity. As he starts taming it, the process gradually makes an impact on him.

Creative Producer

The Parrot

The Parrot · 2016

MovieThrillerDrama

A stranger arrives in Sarajevo and barges into Damir's reclusive world. Little by little she takes over his life. She absorbs his dreams, until finally she threaten his very existence.

Thanks

Living Stones

Living Stones · 2025

A troubled young woman confronts her past at a rehabilitation centre. She finds solace in horse therapy but her growing intimacy with her therapist derails her progress and threatens her healing journey.

Executive Producer

Coda

The story of a mother who now needs the full-time care of her son who struggles to keep giving it.

Producer

Autumn Almanac

Autumn Almanac · 1984

In this dense setting, the inhabitants of a large, claustrophobic apartment reveal their darkest secrets, fears, obsessions and hostilities.

Writer

The Prefab People

The Prefab People · 1982

The Prefab People

Using verite conventions, a young couple with a baby and a child are worn away by the monotony of their lives.

Director

Journey on the Plain

Journey on the Plain · 1995

Journey on the Plain

Revisits of locations on the Great Hungarian Plain - the puszta - that were used in Tarr's Sátántangó and Werckmeister harmóniák. Recitations of short lyric poems by Hungary's national poet Sándor Petofi.

Director

Letters from the Ends of the World

Letters from the Ends of the World · 2021

Letters from the Ends of the World

MovieDocumentary

A world in lock-down. As a global pandemic unfolds, 13 international filmmakers pen cinematic letters from their places of isolation, whether home or far from home. A work of accidental science-fiction from the Bistrik7 collective, graduates of Béla Tarr's Sarajevo film.factory.

Producer

Aragane

Aragane · 2017

MovieDocumentary

Miners in a Bosnian coal mine. The camera silently watches over the miners working tirelessly amidst endless noise and the flickering light of lanterns.

Consulting Producer